Now that the Government has unveiled its 10-Year Health Plan, it’s time to turn our attention to what this means for women’s health.
Women play pivotal roles in all levels of society, and research shows that investing in women’s health has significant economic benefits. For every £1 spent on obstetrics and gynaecology, there is an £11 return on investment. Women also make up 51% of the population, making it both socially and financially prudent to ensure that health services properly support this majority group.
Back in 2022, the Women’s Health Strategy was launched as a landmark 10-year programme. It promised to tackle long-overlooked areas such as gynaecological conditions, fertility, menopause, menstrual health, and mental health. Crucially, it emphasised listening to women’s voices, improving healthcare access, addressing disparities, expanding research, and providing greater workplace support. Key initiatives included appointing a Women’s Health Ambassador and creating local women’s health hubs.
Three years later, progress has been most visible in the establishment of Women’s Health Hubs, which created dedicated spaces for care. Another success is the growing body of research across women’s life stages, shining a light on women’s experiences and outcomes. Both represent important steps towards shaping better services for the future.
But challenges remain. As the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has warned, implementation is far from complete. Without proper adjustments to the Women’s Strategy, there is a real risk that its objectives will not be achieved.
The publication of the 10-Year Plan raises pressing questions. While the Plan sets out opportunities to strengthen the NHS, it is not yet clear how its priorities align with the Women’s Health Strategy – or whether its foundations will enable measurable improvements for women.
To ensure alignment, the government should provide a clear framework for how the Strategy will be delivered under the new Plan.
This could mean updating the Strategy itself or including a dedicated addendum on women’s health with the Plan. Concrete actions should be set out for local systems and commissioners, with defined timelines and clear lines of accountability with local trusts and commissioners to ensure commitments translate into outcomes.
This is particularly urgent following the mid-August announcement that Baroness Amos has been appointed to lead a national maternity and neonatal investigation – an inquiry designed to deliver accountability for affected families and drive urgent improvements across the maternity system. The investigation underscores what is at stake: women and their children deserve safe, high-quality, and compassionate care.
It’s equally important to recognise and harness the potential of femtech – technology-driven products, services, and software designed to improve women’s health. Ensuring these innovations are fully integrated and adequately resourced will be vital to the success of both the Strategy and the Plan.
Ultimately, the Women’s Health Strategy and the 10-Year Health Plan should be viewed as complementary – rather than competing – agendas. The Strategy sets out the vision and addresses women’s specific health needs, while the Plan provides the system-wide levers to deliver change.
By embedding women’s health within the Plan’s foundations, defining measurable actions, ensuring accountability, and embracing innovation – including the growing potential of femtech – the government has a real opportunity to deliver lasting improvements in care and outcomes for women across the country.
Experts in effecting change
At Whitehouse Communications, we bring deep expertise in health policy consultancy, partnering with organisations across the public, private and third sectors to influence strategy, shape regulation, and drive innovation in healthcare.
Our team understands both the policy landscape and the transformative potential of femtech to improve women’s health outcomes across the UK.
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